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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Dec 3, 2017 9:23:10 GMT -5
Ladies and gentlemen,It's that time of year again. The time when we gather around with our loved and build a fire, exchange gifts, eat, and are merry. Yes, Christmas is just around the corner.However, you may be wondering what our friends in Literary Mosaics do for their Christmas. If you are, then this is not the book for you. It does take place in December, but it completely inconvenienced Adolf Gunnarson as he was tasked to solve a case that was little more than a family get-together gone awry. This case also casts some light on who Gunnarson truly is - he was not always a bumbling incompetent investigator who always screwed up his cases. He once was actually a very smart crime solver.Enjoy now, as we tell a tale of murder... a tale of what your family's Christmas should not be like... a tale like no other...Merry Christmas to one and all, and we hope you enjoy...Adolf Gunnarson's Christmas ADOLF GUNNARSON took a sip of eggnog and laughed with his friend Davis Gent. It was December 23, 1939. He was spending Christmas with Gent and his family this year and they had been enjoying telling old stories together, drinking, and being merry.
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Post by frankthetriviaman on Dec 3, 2017 11:36:08 GMT -5
"I hope you'll forgive me Gunnarson; the rest of my family is running a bit late it seems. Darn that snow" Gent said, looking out the window.
"Quite all right; with things the way they are now there's no way I'm getting back to Sweden, so it's nice to be able to spend Christmas with someone, at least" Gunnarson assured.
"Indeed; so, finish that story you were telling me about; how did that case end?" Gent asked.
""Well, after that case last year, I reevaluated my methods, and decided to pay stronger attention to my trifecta and the evidence. So..."
......
"And it all makes sense!" Gunnarson said, indicating the guilty party." "Your boots' shoe prints were in the room, and apart from the victim, no one lse's were. A strong sign of opportunity. The knife that killed him was in your posession, and in an unlocked cabinet only you had the key to, proving means. And we found your journal where you keep going on about the 12,000 pounds he owed you... motive! But perhaps the most damning evidence of all..." Gunnarson said, walking up to the man. "Open your coat" Gunnarson said sternly. The man complied... and underneath, he was still wearing the bloody shirt he committed the crime with. "Not to mention..." and Gunnarson pulled out the bloody gloves from the pocket. "I think that should be all, Detective Ferris. Will that be good enough?"
"For now, yes. Thank you Gunnarson, we'll take it from here" Ferris said as he arrested the suspect.
......
"Ah yes, very good" Gent said as there was knocking at the door. He went to answer it. "Ah, Gunnarson, at last. This is my daughter, Marlena. Were you able to get everything at the grocery store?" Gent asked
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Dec 3, 2017 12:45:56 GMT -5
(Hey Frank, do you remember if Gent had a wife or not? Also it's not Gent's family with the bad reunion, we're just setting up their importance to the story for now. Just so ya know.)
"All except the ingredients for the Christmas pudding. I'll go out again after tea and check Marley's." Marlena assured
"Well thank you very much, my dear. Gunnarson, I hear you're a master of the omelet and hot chocolate - would it be too much to ask of you to concoct that for our dinner day after tomorrow?" Gent asked
"Not at all, it shall be a pleasure. Cooking is one of my favorite hobbies." Gunnarson replied
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Post by frankthetriviaman on Dec 3, 2017 13:05:58 GMT -5
(In the interest of the story- we'll introduce Gent's wife in passing for now)
"Ah, excellent. I do hope you'll forgive me; I intended to introduce you to my wife today, but she's in Sussex now. Her Aunt Beatrice isn't doing so well so Angela wanted to see her one more time before... well..."
"I understand; I'm sure God shall be merciful and at least let her see the holidays through" Gunnarson reassured.
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Dec 3, 2017 13:22:59 GMT -5
"Yeah, if we're lucky though she might be back in time or shortly after the celebrations."
"Sounds good," said Gunnarson.
"So dad," Marlena began...
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Post by frankthetriviaman on Dec 3, 2017 13:31:20 GMT -5
"When are grandma and grandpa coming?" Marlena asked.
"In due time dear; they live an hour north after all and the snow doesn't make things easier" Gent assured.
"Oh, your parents are still alive?" Gunnarson asked.
"Yes, but my dear wife lost hers in the Spanish Flu epidemic. That's why she's so close to Aunt Beatrice" Gent explained.
"I understand. I hope you do not mind Gent, but it appears that the snow is getting worse, and I should like to get home before the roads become unnavigable. The bombings may have stopped but I'll be damned if I die in the snow" Gunnarson quipped.
"Since when do you say damned?" Gent asked. A shocked Gunnarson did the sign of the cross and recited the Lord's Prayer
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Dec 3, 2017 13:50:37 GMT -5
"Alright, I'll see you out," said Gent. Just as he said that the telephone rang. "One second."
Gunnarson went to put on his hat when he heard a shout. Gent came running. "Oh my god," he said, "there's been a brutal murder on Lee Avenue. Gunnarson - would you mind coming with me to the crime scene."
Gunnarson was taken aback but conceded, and the two, after Gent issued statements to the household, left just as the blizzard began to unleash its torment...
Three hours earlier, Wolfgang Heindrich had set up a family reunion. His daughter Sonya and her son Carl, his brother Frans, his sister Annett, and his brother-in-law Michael had just arrived at his house. It had been ages since they had seen each other, and they had not been on the best of terms for years, but what no one knew yet was if this was a time of reconciliation... or damnation....
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Post by frankthetriviaman on Dec 3, 2017 14:03:40 GMT -5
Gunnarson and Gent arrived at the house. Gunnarson left the car, but Gent stayed inside.
"Aren't you coming in?" Gunnarson asked.
"I'm sorry Gunnarson, but Assistant Commissioner Davies and Deputy Commissioner Wilson have been raising concerns that I'm forsaking more important duties with my... "hands on" management. Yes, it's important to be in the loop but..."
"You're concerned about Marlena?" Gunnarson asked.
"She's home alone for Christ's sake! I'm sorry Gunnarson, but you'll have to do this without me- I cannot in good conscience leave Marlena alone like this. Don't worry, Detective Evans, and Constables Thatch and Patterson are here. Best of luck Gunnarson" Gent said.
Gunnarson saw Gent drive away, then he went to enter the house. He knocked on the door. "Detective Evans? Its Gunnarson; Gent said you could use the help!" Gunnarson called out.
"Oh; thank goodness; a second set of eyes" Evans called out from the other side.
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Dec 3, 2017 14:13:51 GMT -5
"What are we looking at here?" Gunnarson asked.
"A man named Wolfgang Heinrich has been brutally murdered, his throat slit. I think we have one of those locked room mysteries on our hands. I'll explain all in a second, for now could you go calm the family?"
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Post by frankthetriviaman on Dec 3, 2017 14:40:45 GMT -5
Gunnarson was escorted into the living room, where the two officers were with the family.
"How are they?" He asked Thatch.
"Michael is holding himself together ok and consoling Annett. Franz is shaken and not really talking right now, and Sonya is trying to keep herself together for Carl's sake.
"And how is the grandson?" Gunnarson asked.
"He's ok for now... to be honest I think he's kinda young to understand what is happening?" Thatch explained. Indeed, young Carl was blissfully playing with some toys, completely unaware about what happened to grandpa.
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Dec 3, 2017 15:06:48 GMT -5
Gunnarson observed the scene and bowed his head in sympathy.
After about five minutes, Evan called him over. "All right, here's what happened..."
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Post by frankthetriviaman on Dec 3, 2017 15:35:21 GMT -5
"As you can tell, it's 6:45 now; and from what I have been able to determine, he died at about 3:30 pm, or a little after" Evans began.
"What makes you so exact?" Gunnarson asked.
"His watch broke in the struggle" Evans explained.
"Struggle?" Gunnarson asked.
"Better come with me" Evans said. They went into the study where Heinrich was killed. He was laying on top of his desk, belly up. His legs were coming off the front of the desk. His feet hanging only a little bit above the ground. His head was semi-dangling off the other side of the desk. His throats was slashed open, and blood was covering the immediate area. Heinrich himself looked rather disheveled; his clothes were ripped in some areas, and he had smaller cuts and bruises. And as Evans said, his watch was broken. And around the room, Gunnarson saw signs of struggle, including a knocked over chair, and the shelf of a nearby wall broken.
"One thing I can tell you right away... we can rule out Carl and Sonya" Gunnarson explained.
"You're certain?" Evans asked.
"Absolutely; Wolfgang here is at least six feet tall; if he fought little Carl, would there really be this much damage to the room?" Gunnarson asked.
"True. And Sonya?"
"I noticed she was wearing heels when I came in; a struggle like this, one or both of them certainly would have had broken. And yet, her heels were fine. Not to mention, I saw her dress went to a bit below her knees; she had no scratches or cuts on her legs between her knees and feet; unlikely if she had recently been in a struggle" Gunnarson explained.
"Sounds reasonable to me" Evans agreed
"Now, let's find some evidence" Gunnarson declared.
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Dec 3, 2017 17:09:53 GMT -5
The first thing Gunnarson noticed was the dead man's nails. They were nearly ripped off.
"Hmm... it's possibly that these could have happened during the fight, but if so, either there are scratch marks somewhere in this room or the attacker got badly injured."
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Post by frankthetriviaman on Dec 3, 2017 17:26:50 GMT -5
"Id agree with you there; definitely supports that a struggle took place" Evans said.
"Were there any signs of break in?" Gunnarson asked.
"No; no broken windows or forced doors. It had to be one of the house guests" Evans explained.
Looking at the neck, Gunnarson saw that it had been cut clean open, explaining the presence of so much blood. But when Gunnarson looked around...
"The killer is in posession of a bloody handkerchief or cloth" he concluded.
"Are you sure?" Evans asked.
"Think about it; if you stab someone in the neck like this, the carotid arteries are being ripped wide open. That's a lot of blood in that close a space"
"And?"
"But look... apart from some partial footprints, there is little blood coming from the suspect... and none in the hallway. Not even a trail of blood drops from the knife" Gunnarson explained.
"A fair point... so that means..."
"The killer has bloody clothes somewhere, and the knife was wrapped in something to ensure the blood got no where"
"Are you saying...?"
"Yes, the motive is clear. This was no accident- someone wanted him dead" Gunnarson concluded.
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Dec 3, 2017 21:52:14 GMT -5
"Who do you suspect?" asked Evans. "It's got to have been someone within this household, right?"
"That's who it seems... perhaps it's time to interrogate them."
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Post by frankthetriviaman on Dec 3, 2017 22:13:17 GMT -5
Detective Evans subsequently had the constables make sure everyone was in the same room... except Carl, who was told to stay in a nearby bedroom. Once everyone was together.
"... Wolfgang was murdered, by someone in this house. The good news is, evidence has ruled out two of you. Sonya... we know you and Carl are innocent" Detective Evans explained.
Sonya sighed with relief as she was permitted to go keep an eye on Carl.
"The bad news... Franz, Michael and Annett, you are all still suspects. One of you is a murderer" Gunnarson said grimly.
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Dec 3, 2017 22:26:02 GMT -5
"No!" gasped Annett.
"It seems like a sad fact. Which is why I'd like to ask some questions," said Evans.
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Post by frankthetriviaman on Dec 3, 2017 22:50:49 GMT -5
"I'm going to continue searching for evidence" Gunnarson said as he began searching the house.
Evans sat down with Michael.
"Tell me about your relationship with your brother in law" Evans began
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Dec 3, 2017 22:55:26 GMT -5
"We haven't seen each other for years, but we could never stand each other to begin with. I never liked Wolfgang, he seemed like a ruthless man and I just couldn't take it."
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Post by frankthetriviaman on Dec 3, 2017 23:00:05 GMT -5
"Ruthless? How was he such a bad man?" Evans asked.
"There are so many things I wouldn't know where to begin" Michael explained.
"Then start from the beginning" Evans suggested.
"Well, it started about 7 years ago, when..."
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